Improvement in fire-proof roofs



placing on the -lower edge of UNITED STATES JAMES D. PIERCE, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO JOHN B. SMITH, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIRE-PROOF ROOFS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 156,309. dated October 27, 1874 application tiled February 24, 1873.

To all whom` it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES D. PIERCE, of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee, in the State of Wisconsin, have invented ce1'- tain Improvements in Fire-Proof Roofing, of which the following is a specification:

My invention is for the purpose of making the roofs of buildings fire-proof; and consists in chami'ering the upper edges ofthe joist and the joist irons running their whole length, and turned up over the ends of the joist and bolted to their ends, and then placing these joists in the top of a building for roof-frame.

The irons are for the purpose of stiiening the joists and preventing them from sagging. I then place between the joists sheets ot' iron in the forni of an arch, the edges of the sheetst resting 011 the edges of the iron, which projects out beyond the sides of the joists, forining a iiange. I 'then fill in on the top of these sheets of iron, to the top and above the joists, concrete or any fire-proof materia-l, and then cover the whole with any kind of tire-proof roofing.

Figure l is a sectional View of my invention, showing one of the joists chamfered.

C is the wooden joist, chamfercd to an edge on the upper side; E, strips of iron running from end to end of the joist C, and turned up over the ends, and bolted to the joist te sustainthe same from sagging. The iron, being Wider than the thickness 0i' the joist, forms a flange. B are arched sheets of iron placed between the joists, with their edges resting ou the edges of the iron E, which projects over the joist. D is concrete or other fire-proof material filled in between and on the top oi' the joist, the whole being covered with any kind of iire-proof roong.

Th is will make a stron g and secure lire-proof roof. The whole surface presented to the re from the outside being fire-prooi, there will be no danger of the roof catching lire from Ilying sparks.

I claim as my invention- A fire-proof root' when constructed with joist C, the top edge chamf'ered, irons E on the under side ofjoist C, ruiming from end to end, and secured by bolts passing through the ends of the iron into the joist, and filled in with concrete or other lire-proof material to the top and above the irons I, substantially as specified.

JAMES I). PIERCE.

Witnesses:

J. B. SMITH, E. J. SMITH.

joist, and supported by 

